Canucks Sweep Season Series Against Former Rival.
Never apologize for having the best 3rd line in hockey. Sorry, not sorry.
Also, we're very very thankful we have the best 3rd line in hockey. Without them in this game... well... then we'd be... we'll never be sorry beating the Fawks. Even if our top snipers were AWOL on the scoresheet. Maybe they just couldn't get up to lighting up the worst team in pro hockey.
Unlike, the Nucks GBJ line. Otherwise known as That 3rd Line. Gnarland scored twice. Josh got a goal, 2 apples and a fight. Howe Hattie for Josh and having himself a career year.
Gnarly has 20 points 5-on-5 since December 5th - he's ranked 10th in the league. On the Nucks only Pete has more 5-on-5 points, with 21. Are we happy we didn't trade Gnarland?
Let's start in the 1st period for a change. With good news from the gamethread.
We're two minutes in and haven't been scored on! Improvement!
Twitch
Even better, That 3rd Line opens the scoring with a sweet tic-tack-and-goal play by Josh and Gnarly to finish. 1-0 Nucks.
FUN FACT: Nucks had 12 shots in the 1st. Little Fawkers had 1. A single shot on goal. A shot too far?
Goddam, the hawks got a SOG!!
Twitch
To start the 2nd, Nucks and Gnarland's skate double the Nucks lead to prevent the possible tie.
Garland sacrifices a foot for a goal
Westy
2-0 Nucks. For 10 minutes. Until - something we haven't seen much of this road trip - Fawks get a power play goal. Unlike the Nucks who after 3 power play 'attempts' had no goals.
Canucks PP is ass so far in this game. They have trouble against a PK that pressures
Westy
"in this game"
You spelled "This road trip" wrong.
Twitch
No matter. Because the Nucks have 2 1 other line that can score. Our freshly Tre Kronor'd line gets on the board. Our new Swede wins the forecheck and our young Swede scores the GWG!
WOOO! Hoggy!
Twitch
Nucks lead 3-1 after 2. Can they bring back the legendary winning after leading legend?
Yes, yes they can.
That 3rd Line opens the 3rd period scoring. This time with Huggie and Blueger setting up Josh for the 2nd GWG.
Of course, as per this tedious road trip guidelines, Nucks get sloppy at the Fawks blueline and it's a 2-on-1.5 and the 3 goal cushion is reduced.
Doesn't matter. More importantly, a big little Fawker puts a hard check on Gnarly and Josh gets his Gordie Hattie.
NUCKS WIN 4-2! Defeat the worst team in the league, without using any powerful power play powers. Nucks PP went 0% while the PK was 75%.
POWERS?
I am pretty sure I saw a few Canucks players trying to sneak in a quick nap during the game, when nobody was looking...
...but I think that's what our power play was for. Half of the first line was snoring for almost two minutes.
Atty
Not important in this game... but sometime soon the Nucks special teams will be required to be special. Maybe Special Phil could help.
Restful Road Game?
Taco didn't run his big horses too hard. Didn't need to. So, it wasn't the most exciting Nucks road game. Which is not a bad thing. Still... can be a dangerous thing playing too easy against the worst when you're the best.
Seriously though, and no disrespect to Chicago....I was worried that the Canucks will lose the game out of boredom. This happened after they were up 2:0, and one could see how they were just going through the motions to keep the puck moving. They were not going to spend an ounce more of extra energy. It almost looked like an all-star game 10 years ago.
The only people yawning more than our boys, were the Hawks fans....
Atty
CHOWCARGO. CHOWCARGO. CITY OF HIGHLIGHTS
Shortie and Dave are eating up this game.
GAME STATS
SHOTS
CANUCKS | Period | FAWKS |
12 | 1st | 1 |
13 | 2nd | 12 |
13 | 3rd | 10 |
38 | TOTAL | 23 |
PLAYER POINTS
GOALS | ASSISTS | +/- | |
GNARLAND | 2 | +2 | |
JOSHUA | 1 | 2 | +2 |
BLUEGER | 1 | +2 | |
HOGLANDER | 1 | +1 | |
LINDHOLM | 1 | +1 | |
HUGHES | 1 | +2 | |
HRONEK | 2 | +2 | |
Saves | Shots | SV% | |
DEMKO | 21 | 23 | .913 |
TACO TALK
Taco is talking up Juulsen and trying remember what day it is.
Even if this road trip felt worse than it was - because of that game we can't mention - Nucks finished this eastern trip with 7 of 10 points. That's pretty good for an eastern swing.
The next road trip begins at home where the Nucks can exact some payback on the Wings in the ROG on Thursday.
Before that, our old Pitts management have to make a decision about their older Philly making the Kessel run again.